Beyond the Scars: Portraits of Becoming follows ten Nova Scotian breast cancer survivors as they reclaim identity through collaborative portrait photography. Set against Nova Scotia’s landscapes, the film celebrates transformation, creativity, and self-discovery, revealing journeys that extend beyond survivorship to reclaim ownership of their bodies and stories. The film culminates in an art exhibition where the women will witness the collective body of work they have created and see themselves anew through the experience of making the portraits.
Nicole explores identity, the body and storytelling through film and collaborative portraiture. She is interested in the space between how we see ourselves and how we are seen by others, and in the transformative possibilities that emerge when people are given the opportunity to define themselves beyond the identities society places upon them.